Type-writing machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet. l.

G. B. WEBB. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 581,500. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

' w a v 739mm aWW/Wroz 75. M @4% 52 My attozwzg f vM/K WW Tn: NonmsPETERS coy. pnoiauwc. WASHINGTON, n n.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

G. B. WEBB.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

- Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

$5M; al boznel m 106M: I

Tu: Mounts Pcfzns co. womumc g/As umorou. u. c.

UNiTED STAT s.

PATENT QEEICE.

GEORGE B. WEBB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSlGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO THE WYCKOFF, SEAMANS & BENEDICT, OF NEW YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,500, dated April27, 1897. Application filed April 11, 1892. Serial No. 428,579.(NomoclelJ T0 ctlZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. WEBB, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-WVrit-ing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the ribbon movements of type-writing machines,and has for its main object to move the inking-ribbon both lengthwiseand widthwise by simple and effective mechanism; and my invention hasfor a further object to provide a construction whereby the ribbon may bereadily fed while in a taut condition or state of tension, so that thefull width of the ribbon may be utilized.

My invent-ion consists in the various features of construction andcombinations of devices hereinafter more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View of a portionof a Reining ton type-writing machine altered in some respects andembodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken at theline 00 0c of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is an end view looking from the left-handside of the machine. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken at the line yy of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a diagram to show the lines in which the ribbonis used by the type in the construction shown at Fig. 6, and Fig. 6 is apartial side view corres'pon din g to Fig. 3 and showing a differentform of actuating arm or lever for the pawl-carrying lever which effectsthe longitudinal travel of the ribbon.

In the several views the same part will be found designated by the samenumeral of reference.

1 designates the framework, 2 the top plate, and 3 the type-ring, madeintegral therewith.

4 represents the inking-ribbon, which at its ends is connected to spoolsor reels 5 on 0pposite sides of the machine.

The ribbon-spool 5 at the lefthand side of the machine is mounted on ashaft 6, supported in bearings formed in hangers '7, depending from anopen plate or frame 8, whose sides are made substantially V- shaped, asshown at 9. Attached to the top plate at its left-hand edge by screws 10is a bar 11, which is formed on its inner edge with a groove 12,corresponding in shape to that of the groovev 9, and between saidgrooves is arranged an antifriction-ball 13. On the left-hand side ofthe type-ring is attached by screws 14 another bar 15, provided with agroove 16 to match the groove 9. on the right-hand side of the openframe, and between said grooves 9 and 16 is arranged anotherantifriction-ball 17. The two sets of grooves 9 and 12 and 9 and 16 formbearings for the said balls 13 and 17 and enable the frame to be movedback and forth transversely of themachine with the utmost ease. Theballs are confined within the said bearings by pins 18, extendinglaterally from the frame 8 on each side. The spoolshaft 6 is preferablyprolonged and provided with a crank 19 to enable the ribbon to be woundquickly onto the spool 5 when it may become necessary to change ribbonsor bring a differently-colored ribbon into use. On said shaft is mountedfast a ratchet-wheel 20, which is adapted to be moved step by step by apushing-pawl 21 and a pulling-pawl 22, the former being pivoted at 23upon an arm or lever 24:, fulcrumed at 25, and the latter being alsopivoted at 26 upon said arm or lever, the outer end of which extendslaterally and is embraced at a rounded or cylindrical portion 27 by afork 28, which is pivoted at 29 to the bar 11. The said fork ispreferably made of a single piece of spring metal, which is bent at itsupper end to surround the pivot-pins 29, and below said pivotpin aboutmidway of its length itis bent again to form an eye 30, into which maybe caught the rounded or cylindrical portion 2'7 of the lever 24, whilefrom this locality to its extremity the arms or legs 31' of the fork arebranched or spread outwardly a considerable distance.

To the rear side of the frame 8 is secured at 32 an arm 33, whichextends rearwardly and is connected at 3* to an upright rockerarm 35,which is connected to a rock-shaft 36, that extends across the machineto the right-hand side thereof, at which it is pro- I IOO ing from aframe or support 8, constructed and mounted in a manner similar to thatshown at the left-hand side of the machine, and at the right-hand sideof the machine are provided a ratchet-wheel, pushing and pulling pawls,an actuating-lever, and a pivoted fork, each of a construction similarto that exhibited at the opposite side of the m aehine, and therocker-arm 35 on the righthand side is connected at its upper end to anarm similar to 33, projecting rearwardly from the right-hand end frame8.

XV hen the shaft 36 is rocked, both frames with their appurtenances aremoved, through the arms 35, back and forth transversely of the machineand carry with them the inkingribbon, which, as will be observed, passesfrom one spool up through the opening 37 in one frame across the machinedown through the opening in the opposite frame to the opposite spool.

The forks, levers, pawls, ratchet-wheels, and ribbon-spools are adaptedto move the ribbon lengthwise automatically, as will be hereinafterexplained. The transverse or crosswise movements of the ribbon areeffected automatically by the means now to be described.

38 represents the spring-drum or driving power of the paper-carriage,which latter is removed in order to avoid confusion. A portion of saidcarriage is, however, represented at 39, from which depends a hook -l(),to which is attached one end of a chain or band t1, whose opposite endis connected to the springdrum or driving power, as usual. On the axisof the spring-drum is mounted a sleeve 42, which carries at one end aratchet 43 and at its other end a double disk-shaped cam it. On thespring-drum is mounted a pawl a5, adapted to engage with saidratchet-wheel when the carriage moves from right to left, and when thedrum is turned in the direction of the arrow at Fig. 2 and by saidengagement turn said ratchet-wheel and said cam. This pawl is so hungthat when the carriage moves from left to right or is returned for thebeginning of a new line it travels idly over the teeth of saidratchet-wheel without turning it or the said cam.

Fixed upon the rock-shaft 36 is a rockerarm 46, which is bifurcated atits upper end, as at 47, to embrace the periphery of the cam 44. It willnow be seen that when said cam rotates during the movement of thecarriage from right to left, at which time the printing is done, thesaid cam is slowly turned as the carriagemoves step by step forward, andby reason of its engagement with the bifurcated end of the rocker-arm atit operates to rock the shaft SU and the two rocker-arms 35 and slidethe frames or carriers 8, which carry the ribbon-spools, transversely inone direction. The next time the carriage travels from right to left thecam and the connecting mechanism operate to slide the frames or carriersand the ribbon transversely in the opposite direction. In the severalviews the carriage is represented as at the extreme right-hand end ofthe machine and the ribbon-carriers and ribbon at the extremes of theirrearward movements. Thus when the carriage is moved from right to leftthe ribbon will be moved transversely forwardly. When the carriage isreturned to the right, the ribbon remains in its fomvard position, butthe next time that the carriage moves from right to left the ribbon ismoved transversely roan wardly.

The transverse movements of the ribboncarriers are utilized to effectlongitudinal movements of the ribbon by means of the levers, pawls,ratohetwheels, and spools hereinbefore described.

In the several views the means for moving the ribbon lengthwise areshown in an operative condition at the left-hand side of the machine andin an inoperative condition at the right-hand side, and hence at thistime the ribbon will be wound from the right-hand spool onto or upon theleft-hand spool. The winding is effected in this manner: The lever 2ibeing raised and held in the eye or hearing 30 of the fork 28 is causedto vibrate about its pivot 24: during the back and forth movements ofthe ribbon-carrier and actuate the two pawls carried thereby. Referringmore particularly to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the ribbon-carrieris at the limit of its rear ward movement and that the eye or bearing 30of the fork, embracing the outer arm of the lever 2i, stands in a raisedposition. As the ribbon-carrier moves forwardly it moves the lever 2twith it, and since its outer arm is in the embrace of the eye of thefork it in turn vibrates said fork about its pivot 25'). In thevibration of said fork the eye or bearing 30, swinging in an are aboutthe pivot 29 as a center, gradually moves down until it arrives directlybeneath the pivot 29, \vhichis its lowest position. In thus descendingthe said eye or bearing, by reason of its hold upon the lever, causesthe latter to move down with it about the pivot 25 as a center ofmotion, and during this movement the pushing-pawl 21 is caused topartially rotate the ratchetwheel 20 and the ribbon-spool and windthereupon a portion of the ribbon. When the eye or hearing 30 arrivesdirectly beneath the pivot 29, the ribbon-carrier has been movedforwardly about onehalf its full distance, and as said carrier continuesto complete its stroke the eye or bearing commences to rise on theopposite side of the line of the pivot 29 and carry with it the lever24:, which vibrates upwardly about its pivot 25 and causes thepulling-pawl 22 to partially rotate the ratchet-wheel 20, turn thespool, and wind an additional portion of the ribbon thereupon. \Vhen thepawl 21 operates to turn the ratchetwheel, the pawl 22 drops down behinda tooth next to the one it previously engaged with, and when the paw 22operates to turn the ratchet-wheel the pawl 21 is pulled back to engagethe base of a tooth adjacent to the one it previously engaged with. Iprefer to arrange the pawls 21 and 22 so that each one operates to turnthe ratchet-wheel only a halftooth space, so that by the combinedmovements of the two pawls the ratchet-wheel is turned the distance ofone notch or space. For instance, when the driving-pawl 21 acts on thedownward movement of the lever its operating end does not move from thebase of one notch or space to that of the next, but it moves to anextent only sufficient'to turn the ratchet-wheel one-half the distancebetween the base of one notch and that of the next adjacent one. At thistime the operating end of the pawl 22 is carried to the base of thenotch it is to engage with, and when said pawl is lifted it operates tocomplete the movement of the ratchetwheel a whole tooth or the entiredistance between two adjacent notches or spaces of the wheel. By thisconstruction and arrangement I am enabled to obtain a slow longitudinalmovement of the ribbon, which is desirable.

While the ribbon is being moved back and forth transversely and is alsofeeding onto the left-hand spool with the slow step-bystep movement, themechanism for moving the ribbon longitudinally, located at the righthandside ofthe machine, is unable to act, because, as will be seen byreference to Fig. 2, the driving-pawls stand out of operative relationto the ratchet-wheel. This condition is effected by pulling down thelever 24 out of the embrace or clasp of the eye or hearing andpermitting said lever to stand between the arms or legs 31 of the fork.In this position of the leverit may move back and forth, always in thesame horizontal plane, without being affected or vibrated by the saidfork. The arms or legs may be eliminated, if desired.

In pushing down the lever the pawl 21 strikes a pin 48 on the hanger andis lifted from engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and the pawl 22 issimultaneously disengaged from said wheel by reason of a swell orenlargement 49 on its shank.

\Vhen it may be desired to have the ribbon wind from the left-hand spoolonto the righthand spool, the left-hand lever is pulled down to thedotted-line position shown .at Fig. 2 to disengage the pawls, and theright-hand lever is pushed up into the eye or bearing of the fork, andthereafter the ribbon will be wound upon the right-hand spool in themanner already described with reference to the left-hand spool. Theribbon may be guided in this movement across the machine by a support50, which may be pivoted at 51 upon the ribbon carrier or frame andprovided near its free end with a loop 52, under which the ribbon runsand by which it is guided.

Referring to Fig. 6, the fork is shown in the form of a hook 28, pivotedon the framework of the machine. This device performs substantially thesame function that is performed by the device 28. (Shown in the otherviews.) In this case, however, the ratchetwheel is moved by each of thedriving-pawls 21 and 22 a full tooth, The ribbon-carrier is shown in itsrearward position. As it moves toward the front of the machine the armis vibrated upwardly in an arc and causes the lever to be vibrated aboutits pivot and the pawl 22 to turn the ratchet-wheel one tooth. On thereturn movement of the ribbon-carrier the leveris vibrated downwardlyaboutits pivot and the pawl 21 also caused to rotate theratchet-wheelone tooth.

In the construction shown at Fig. 6 the device 28 is unhooked from thelever 24 and the lever pulled down, as at the right-hand side of Fig. 2,when it may be desired to feed the ribbon lengthwise from the left-handspool onto the right-hand spool, and at the same time the hook at theopposite or righthand side of the machine is to be connected to theright-hand pawl-carrying lever 24. Then it may be desired to run theribbon rapidly from one spool to another or to remove the. ribbon forthe insertion of a new one, the levers 24 on each side of the machinemay both be pulled down out of operative engagement with the device 28,thus freeing both sets of pawls and enabling both spools to be turnedfreely upon their shafts in either.

direction. .The cranks 19 may be used to thus rapidly rotate the spools.

The device 28 or 28 in either case, it will be seen, isan arm or leverpivoted to swing vertically at right angles to the verticallyswingingpawl-carrying lever and adapted to vibrate the latter about its pivotduring the movements of said lever bodily back and forth.

Of course numerous changes in form and detail construction of the device28 and the pawl-carrying lever may be made without departing from thespiritof my invention, and, if desired, one of the pawls on said levermay be eliminated.

It is desirable in a ribbon movement that the ribbon be run or fed astaut as possible, to the end that it may be fed from side to side orfrom edge to edge as near as possible to the edge, in order that theentire width of ribbon may be used and yet avoid the liability of thetype striking off the ribbon. A slow longitudinal movement is desirablefor the reason, first, that the ribbon may be longer in feeding from endto end, thereby avoiding the necessity of frequent reversals, and,secondly, that with a slow feed longitudinally and a taut ribbon (thatis, a ribbon fed slowly against resistance lengthwise for the purpose ofkeeping it tight or flat) the movement may be effected with less powerthan where the ribbon is fed rapidly against the same resistance. With aslow longitudinal movement it is necessary or desirable to have a rapidtransverse movement of considerable speed and without sensibleresistance. I have therefore provided the laterallymoving spool framesor carriers with ballbearings, to the end that friction may be reducedas far as possible. Two ball-bearings have the advantage that inpractice the parts may be constructed more carelessly and yet work well.To properly support the spoolholders, however, when using only twoballs, one on each side, it is necessary that a third means be used.lhis is furnished by the two upright rocker-arms connected to therockshaft, said arms being connected to the spoolholders by theintermediate rigid horizontal arms,which, however, may be consideredeach as a part of the spool-holder itself. By thus mounting andsupporting the spool holder or carrier at three points it may be guidedpractically in a right line and held in such a mannor that its movementstransversely are not affected by the longitudinal movements of theribbon. Hence the ribbon may be held as taut as desired without impedingthe travel orincreasing the resistance to the back and forth movementsof the spool-holders.

Each spool-shaft is provided with a coiled spring 53 to prevent theshaft of the spool which is unwinding from turning too freely, and eachshaftmay be provided with a catch or round-wire spring 5% to preventaccidental endwise movements of the shaft independentl y of the carrier.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. Ina type-Writing machine, the combination of a ribbon-spool carrierprovided on each slde with a groove, fixed grooves on each side of saidcarrier, means for moving said carrier, and antifriction-balls arrangedin said grooves.

2. I11 a type-Writing machine, the combination of an inking-ribbon, apair of plates or frames having grooves and mounted to slide onantifriction-balls, means connecting said plates or frames and causingthem to move in unison, and a ribbon-spool supported on each said frame;substantially as set forth.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination with two fixed grooves, ofantifrictionballs, an intermediate ribbon-spool carrier having a grooveat each side and depending arms or brackets, means for moving saidcarrier, and a ribbon-spool mounted to rotate in said arms or brackets.

4. In a type-writing machine, the combina tion with two fixed groovedbars, of antifriction-balls, an intermediate ribbon-spool carrier havingon each side a groove, a central opening, and arms or brackets, meansfor moving said carrier, a ribbon-spool, and an inking-ribbon.

5. In a type-writing machine, the combination with two fixed groovedbars, of antifriction-balls, an intermediate ribbon-spool carrier havinga groove at each side, a central opening, and means for confining theballs in the grooves, means for moving said carrier, a ribbon-spoolmounted in depending arms or brackets, and an inking-ribbon.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a ribbon-spool carriermounted in ballbearings, an inking-ribbon, a ribbon-spool, a rocker-arm,and a rock-shaft connected to the carriage-driving power through asecond rocker-arm and a double disk-shaped cam.

7. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a ribbon-spool carrier,an inking-ribbon,-a ribbon-spool, a rocker-arm connected to saidcarrier, a rock-shaft, and a double disk-shaped cam connected to thedriving power and also connected to said rock-shaft.

S. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a sliding and guidedribbon-spool carrier, an inking-ribbon, a ribbon-spool, a rocker-armpivotally connected to said carrier, a rock-shaft, a cam connected tothe driving power, and an independent rockerarm connected to saidrock-shaft and engaging the said cam.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a ribbon-spool carrier,an inking-ribbon, a ribbon-spool, a rocker-arm connected to saidcarrier, a rock-shaft, a spring-drum for propelling the paper-carriageand provided with a pawl, a ratchet-wheel mounted loosely on the axis ofsaid drum, and a double disk-shaped cam connected to said ratchet-wheeland also connected to said rock-shaft by an independent rocker-arm.

10. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a ribbon-spool carrierhaving at each side a groove and depending arms or brackets, two fixedbars having each a groove, intermediate antifriction-balls, aninking-ribbon, a ribbon-spool, a rocker-arm, and a rockshaft connectedto the carriage'driving power.

11. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a ribbon-spool carrierhaving on each side a groove and depending arms or brackets, two fixedbars having each a groove, intermediate antifriction-balls, aninkingribbon, a ribbon-spool, a rocker-arm, a rockshaft, a spring-drum,a cam, and an arm intermediate said cam and said rock-shaft.

12. In a type-writing machine, the combination of atransversely-1novable ribbon-spool carrier, an inking-ribbon, aribbon-spool, a ratchet-wheel, a pawl-carrying lever mounted on saidcarrier to move therewith, and a pivoted arm or lever on the frameworkembracing the pawl-carrying lever and vibrating it during the transversemovements of the ribbon-spool carrier.

13. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a transversely-movableribbon-spool carrier, an inking-ribbon, a ribbon-spool, a ratchet-wheel,a pawl-carrying lever connected to move with said ribbon-spool carrierand pivoted to vibrate in a vertical plane, an arm or lever pivoted to astationary part of the machine, connected to said pawl-carrying leverand arranged to vibrate in a vertical plane at right angles to the planeof vibration of the pawl-carrying lever.

14. In a type-writing machine, the combination of an inking-ribbon, aribbon-spool, a

ratchet-wheel, and a lever provided with a pushing-pawl and apulling-pawl.

15. In a type-writing machine, the combination of an inking-ribbon, aribbon-spool, a ratchet-wheel, and a lever provided with a pushing-pawland a pulling-pawl, the several parts being so arranged and proportionedas that each pawl operates to turn the ratchetwheel a part only of thedistance between two succeeding teeth or notches.

16. In a type-writing machine, the combination of an inking-ribbon, aribbon-spool, a ratchet-wheel, a lever carrying a pushingpawl and'apulling-paw], and means substantially such as described for releasingboth said pawls from engagement with said ratchetwheel.

17. In a type-writing machine, the combination of an inking-ribbon, aribbon-spool, a ratchet-wheel, a lever carrying a pushingpawl and apulling-pawl, the latter being provided with a swell or enlargement, anda fixed pin for lifting the pushing-pawl upon a downward movement of thepawl-carrying lever.

18. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a transversely-movableribbon-spool carrier mounted in ball-bearings, an inkingribbon, aribbon-spool, a ratchet-wheel, a lever carrying a pushing-pawl and apullingpawl, and means on the framework of the machine for vibrating thepawl-carrying lever during the transverse movements of the ribbon-spoolcarrier.

19. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a ribbon-spool carrierprovided on each side with a bearing, a single ball in each said bearingsupporting said carrier at two points, a rocker-arm connected to andsupporting said carrier at a third point, a rockshaft, and means. foroscillating the same.

20. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a pair of open framesmounted on antifriction-balls, hangers depending from said frames,ribbon-spool shafts mounted in said hangers, a ribbon-spool on eachshaft, an inking-ribbon attached to one spool and passing up through oneof said open frames across the machine down through the other open frameand attached to the other ribbon-spool, means connecting said openframes together,

and suitable actuating means; substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York city, in the county of Q GEORGE E. WEBB.

Witnesses:

IDA MAoDoNALD, JAooB FELBEL.

